Lambs an easing trend, this time at Ballarat

Yarding - 30,742 (-1352) .

Lambs - 18,642 (-5652).

Sheep - 12,100 (+4300).

Lamb supply eased a little at Ballarat this week, with 18,642 head penned. The quality varied from average to good, with some excellent pens of shorn lambs off fodder coming forward. There was a good mix of all weights and grades penned, both shorn and unshorn young lambs. The usual buying group attended, but not all operated fully, as they bid with less urgency in an easier market. Quality trade weight and light export weight shorn lambs eased from $10 to $15/head to average approximately 620c, at times reaching 660c/kg cwt, for the better finished lambs. Light lambs eased from $10 to $15, as the export weight lambs decreased from $15 to $20/head and more in places. Heavy shorn lambs reached a top of $198 and unshorn lambs reached $155/head. Restockers and feeders were active and sourced lambs from $110 to $140 for the shorn lambs and from $100 to $134.50/head for unshorn lambs. Lighter weights sold from $30 to $90/head. There were strong orders from Gladstone, South Australia and from the Mallee areas, the North East as well as local areas. Local restockers paid from $90 to $150/head for first cross ewes.

Shorn light weight 2 score lambs sold from $84 to $106/head. Light trade 2 and 3 score lambs made from $107 to $131/head to average close to 650c/kg cwt. Trade weight 3 and 4 score shorn lambs sold from $129 to $141.50, as the heavier weights sold from $136 to $160/head, or from 570c to 670c to average approximately 620c/kg cwt. Heavy 3 and 4 score lambs sold from $154 to $187 and the extra heavy weight export lambs made from $189 to $198/head and averaged close to 590c/kg cwt. Unshorn light trade weight lambs sold from $90 to $140, and the trade weights made from $122 to $155/head, averaging from 600c to 610c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred hoggets sold from $90 to $128/head.

Ad -The best Sheep pregnancy scanner in the country - Simon Walsh Ultrasound Pregnancy Testing - Ad

There were 12,100 sheep yarded covering all weights and grades, with some good runs of both Merino and crossbred sheep penned. There were more numbers of lighter sheep this week, showing the effects of the dry conditions, as a few pens of very light sheep were not sold. Not all the usual buying group attended or operated fully, with sheep starting close to firm and then easing a few dollars as the sale progressed. Merino wethers eased from $5 to $10/head.

Light weight 1 and 2 score sheep sold from $48 to $78 and averaged close to 360c/kg cwt, as very light sheep sold from $5 to $58/head. Medium weight 2 and 3 score sheep made from $58 to $110/head and varied from 290c to 420c, as the Merino mutton averaging close to 390c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino wethers sold from $105 to $106, medium weight Merino wethers made from $77 to $98/head, while the wethers received from 380c to 410c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred ewes sold from $75 to $128/head and averaged approximately 330c/kg cwt. Crossbred wethers sold to $125 and rams of all weights made from $5 to $67/head

Ad -The best Sheep pregnancy scanner in the country - Simon Walsh Ultrasound Pregnancy Testing - Ad